California could see restrictions or even an unprecedented ban on salmon fishing this year. That's because the Central Valley fall Chinook salmon run is at a record low.
The Pacific Fisheries Management Council is meeting this week to consider the options. That's the regulatory agency that handles the West Coast. Harry Morse with the State Department of Fish and Game says the council will probably come up with three choices:
Morse: All of the alternatives will probably have some very severe restrictions involved in them, so everybody is going to feel the pinch.
In a statement, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council Chairman called it a "disaster." There's no clear reason for the drop in the number of fish. Some scientists blame poor ocean conditions. The council will examine possible causes this week. Morse says the bottom line is to protect the salmon so they can spawn and maintain the population.
